5 bold predictions for Phoenix Suns ahead of 2023-24 NBA season

The Phoenix Suns are ready to kick off their preseason in less than a month. Many NBA pundits have already declared them the favorites to win the title this season after the Valley added Bradley Beal to the roster. With three of the best scorers in the league, their scoring is already sorted out.

The Suns also fired head coach Monty Williams and hired coach Frank Vogel along with a few veteran minimum players to contend for the title.

With an updated roster and a new coach to usher them toward the title, Phoenix is conceivably the most entertaining team in the NBA. However, there are still questions looming around their defense and possible adjustments that their star players will have to make entering the 2023-24 season.

Before their first preseason game on Oct. 24, here are the top five predictions for the Suns entering their biggest and most promising season in a long time.

5 bold predictions for Phoenix Suns ahead of 2023-24 season

#1 Phoenix Suns lose a chunk of their games in the first half of the season

If anything, Frank Vogel doesn’t have to worry about their offense and searching for scoring options. However, with great scorers comes the problem of facilitation. Apart from Devin Booker (also not that great of a facilitator), they do not have a certified point guard on the team. After Chris Paul, they have zero players left to create an offense.

The best chance for the Phoenix Suns is to use their scorers to score on isolation. Kevin Durant, Booker and Beal all have to sacrifice a part of their game to gel together, and that sure is going to take time. This might cost them a few of their initial games.

#2 Phoenix Suns will have one of the worst bench points in the league

When the Phoenix Suns traded for Durant, they sacrificed a big part of their roster that gave them the much-needed depth. They lost Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in the trade. Now, they have traded for Bradley Beal and had to trade Chris Paul and Andrew Shamet, a playmaker and a three-point specialist.

When it comes to players outside Durant, Booker, Beal and Deandre Ayton, they have very little left on the roster. A little bit of help can come from Eric Gordon, but beyond that, they barely have any notable players.

#3 Phoenix Suns will reach the NBA Finals

On paper, the Phoenix Suns have the most promising offense in the league. Although their durability could be questioned, the potential is off the charts. Their defense could look poor but given that Vogel is a defensive coach, he could use the substandard bench players to fuel the defense on the court.

Moreover, given that he might have less responsibility on the offensive end, Durant could use his defensive merit to keep the starting lineup afloat.

#4 Devin Booker is the front-runner in the MVP conversation

Devin Booker is arguably the best offensive young star in the league. Last season, he averaged 27.8 points per game, which was his career-high. Given that he has the likes of elite scorers in Durant and Beal on his side, his performance will likely remain sharp.

In the absence of a pure point guard on the roster, he could have the ball in his hand most of the time. It could be stated that Booker's scoring volume will increase along with shot creation for other players. If the Suns remain one of the best teams in the league, Booker has a fair chance to win the MVP award for the first time in his career.

#5 Phoenix Suns is the worst defensive team in the NBA

Yes, Frank Vogel is a defensive-minded coach and he has led LeBron James' Lakers to a championship in the bubble, but this time, he has a tougher job on his hands. The Phoenix Suns team is completely constructed as an offensive team with stars at the foundation.

However, when it comes to having defensive-minded players, there is no option for him to balance the team. Apart from Durant and to a certain extent Bol Bol, he has no option to stop the opponents, especially on the perimeter. The best Vogel can do right now is to pull them a bit higher and make them a mediocre defensive team in the league.

The downside of having little defense becomes glaring in the postseason, though. Vogel will have to find a way to channel his mentality into the Suns roster before it gets out of hand.